The story of Ian Curtis, the early departed but so talented lead singer of Joy Division

He can be treated differentlyand yet few would dispute the fact that. Ian Curtis - a legend of his time and genre. Of course, this is not the kind of artist who instantly gains worldwide recognition: dark, mysterious - Curtis contradicted himself both on stage and in his soul. And yet - top publications, critics and hundreds of performers recognise him as one of the most important people in post-punk and indie rock (as, indeed, does his band Joy Division as a whole).

In his short but prolific career, Ian has written absolutely every Joy Division song, some of which have become classics. For example - there's hardly a person who hasn't heard Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart"His personality was so colourful (in spite of the darkness) that his biography was even made into a film! His personality was so vivid (in spite of his darkness) that films were even made on his biography! He was only 23 years oldwhen he left this mortal world for good. His departure was an autonomous decision and the result of a battle with epilepsy and depression, which Ian lost.

Stealing and dangerous pranks - about the early years

The early years of the future star were not bohemian, but they were not boring either. Being the eldest child in the family, Ian had to grow up early. As a teenager, he worked hard, including in social services. Together with his friends, he visited elderly people and, if possible, stole medicines that he himself used at home. One day, his father found Ian unconscious in his room and rushed him to hospital.

Our hero has been drawn to rock music since childhood. A powerful influence on him was Jim Morrison and David Bowieand some writers (which would later affect his talent as a poet). For lack of money, young Curtis was forced to record thief - so strong was his passion for music. And artistry! As a child, he decided to become a stuntman. He built his own training ground, and - calling the local children - demonstrated a dangerous stunt, a jump from the roof of a garage. The result was numerous bruises....

Lack of money and fear of the sun

Lack of money haunted Ian not only in his teens, but also at the height of his fame. Despite the relative success of Joy Division (which increased manifold after the vocalist's death), the singer often lacked funds... This forced him to take on extra work. It is known that periodically Curtis cleaned recording studios, and once almost became the lover of a rich lady!

The musician responded to an advert looking for young boys, but when he arrived for an interview, he found out - that he was to become a "Don Juan" for the wealthy older women. As he himself recalled:

"I was asked if I wanted to "entertain old ladies?"

Another oddity in the artiste's biography is that his fear of the sun. Yes, not only Joy Division songs were gloomy, but also the lifestyle of their author. Curtis' wife, Deborah, recalled that her husband literally "couldn't go outside on a sunny day because his hands would swell and turn red, almost like gloves!"

"A clever ruse."

Curtis actually possessed high intelligence since high school. He was dodgy in his thinking, and once - in order to get his band airtime on television - wrote a very insulting letter to a TV presenter Tony Wilsonin which he tried to provoke him. In his "tirade" Ian called Wilson names and, to put it mildly, called him stupid because he had never once included Joy Division in his show. In the end his clever ploy worked and Tony literally forced them to perform "Shadowplay." и "She's Lost Control.".

Another curious fact is that the members of Joy Division weren't actually "sullen silents.". Music journalist Paul Morleywho almost produced the band's first EP (a hangover prevented him from doing so), recalled:

"I supported them in the press. Their first interview lasted two hours and the incredibly shy band said almost nothing. I later wrote that their silence was a kind of artistic statement..."

"Contrast on stage and in the soul."

Curtis was extremely conflicted person. He sang monotonously, but on stage he made incredible movements that did not fit in with his performance. In his dying days, he fell in love with a journalist. Annick Honorébut continued to maintain his marriage to Deborah. He looked very gloomy, but in life he was very fun and heartfelt... From the recollections of his Joy Division comrades:

"He didn't fit into the framework of the modern world - he was too unkind for his time. Sometimes he let off steam, but on the whole he always had a warm, kind energy. Like a child! He loved people, and was eager to help them. If he saw someone upset or something like that, he would always try to support them and talk to them. When my boys and I started to whine about how tired we were or that we were going to fail again, he would always say, "Come on, we'll get through this!".

According to his mates, Curtis was. your own worst enemy. His lyrics partly reflected his real anguish, and, unfortunately, no one realised it. It was only after his death that the realisation came to his loved ones. The realisation that this man was literally asking for help from them, from his fans, from the world.....